-By Mike Shields

In the increasingly murky world of behavioral targeting, 24/7 Real Media is looking to provide brands with some hard evidence that their behavioral ad buys actually reach the people they are supposed to.

To do so, the WPP-owned ad network/ad serving giant has partnered with the online research firm Compete. Through the new arrangement, 24/7 will begin providing its advertisers with data from Compete’s consumer panel—data which the company claims will provide assurance that the sites included in particular media plan reach that advertiser’s intended audience.

The fact that 24/7 is willing to take the step of providing advertisers with essentially a third party guarantee should help differentiate the company in the crowded ad network space. Plus, executives at the firm claim that the partnership will also enable advertiser to create customized targeting segments based on a unique behavioral criteria.

 “Ensuring that ads reach the intended audience is of tantamount importance,” said Ari Bluman, 24/7 Real Media’s president of North American sales and operations. “Our partnership with Compete adds even further precision to online targeting by giving advertisers access to verified consumer segments and the ability to create private channels based on customized behavioral profiles.”